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I Am Getting Desperate, Need Offline Business Advice

by payoman
9 replies
Hey warriors,

I am in a pretty desperate spot right now. I am just struggling to work out how to get from A to B with my business idea. Here is some background info for you guys...

I want to start a business that provides website design and SEO services to my local area, but I have almost no clue where to get started.

I have the skills (website design, SEO knowledge, sales experience) but I don't have the 'know how' of setting my business up(contracts/legal obligations/how to do tax/who to get advice from).

The thing is, I know I can get clients. I have made some cold calls and had people agree to my very low prices ($400 to setup a website, $50 monthly fee for hosting and basic SEO), but I have no idea how to :

- Receive setup payment
- Make sure they pay the monthly fee
- Cover myself legally
- How to 'pitch' SEO (You can't guarentee rankings, so how do you convince a client their website will EVENTUALLY get good rankings in Google?)
- What to do if they cancel the monthly payments?
- How contracts work
- Anything and everything else involved in running a business

Would anyone be willing to hold my hand or direct me to a 'step by step to setting up your business right' guide? Everything I have read seems to skimp over the details of correctly setting up a contract/legal obligations of local businesses etc

Sorry to ramble on, I just don't know where to turn to for this...

Any help is appreciated, thanks guys
#advice #business #desperate #offline
  • Profile picture of the author Seantrepreneur
    That's a lot to cover in one reply, but I would say that if you do enough research on here you should be able to find a lot of those answers.

    Some words of advice I can share with you is to not be afraid of making some mistakes. No one can be perfect. Just do your research and to take some action. You'll learn a lot by doing.

    Sean
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    -------->Started with $500 on Amazon and building it from there. Week #1 income report is live ($593.78 in revenue)<----------
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    • Profile picture of the author rbecklund
      When I started i had a basic website and nothing really in place. Just started marketing my services and getting clients. Along the way I figured out all the things you've talked about. You've heard of the phrase - "ready, fire, aim"? That's sometimes the best way to start, especially if you need to make money. The details will work themselves out.

      If you are really concerned with certain issues like taxes or legal, meet with a local professional and talk with them, they will give you advice in hopes that you sign up for services and you will know what you "should" be doing.
      Signature

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      • Profile picture of the author RobbieT
        Originally Posted by rbecklund View Post

        When I started i had a basic website and nothing really in place. Just started marketing my services and getting clients. Along the way I figured out all the things you've talked about. You've heard of the phrase - "ready, fire, aim"? That's sometimes the best way to start, especially if you need to make money. The details will work themselves out.

        If you are really concerned with certain issues like taxes or legal, meet with a local professional and talk with them, they will give you advice in hopes that you sign up for services and you will know what you "should" be doing.
        Over here in Oz we have the "Citizens Advice Bureau" which will give you general advice on Legal and other matters for no charge. They usually use qualified people who are retired but still want to help people.

        Check around and see if there is something similar in your part of the world.

        I hope that helps.

        Take good care of those that you love.

        Robbie T
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        Follow my Journey to make an extra $40 or $400 per week each week and TOP UP YOUR WEEKLY INCOME

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        • Profile picture of the author payoman
          Originally Posted by RobbieT View Post

          Over here in Oz we have the "Citizens Advice Bureau" which will give you general advice on Legal and other matters for no charge. They usually use qualified people who are retired but still want to help people.

          Check around and see if there is something similar in your part of the world.

          I hope that helps.

          Take good care of those that you love.

          Robbie T
          Funny, I'm Aussie too But from Victoria, I'm not sure who to call in VIC, but I will do some hunting on vic.gov.au
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          Learn How To Sell Websites To Local Businesses for $600+ Today
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        • Profile picture of the author Tsarina
          Originally Posted by RobbieT View Post

          Over here in Oz we have the "Citizens Advice Bureau"
          I have been using SCORE on and off for years. They have local chapter everywhere in US of A and online support as well. And it's all FREE

          - Receive setup payment
          Paypal is basic, on your phone you can use Square
          - Make sure they pay the monthly fee
          Look into 37Signal products or Zoho
          - Cover myself legally
          Arrange a trade with a Lawyer. I do.
          - How to 'pitch' SEO (You can't guarentee rankings, so how do you convince a client their website will EVENTUALLY get good rankings in Google?)
          You offer process of getting higher in SERP
          - What to do if they cancel the monthly payments?
          Now sure I know what you are referring to
          - How contracts work
          ??? how you rite them
          - Anything and everything else involved in running a business
          Look into some good WSOs rather then working for such low fees.
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          Dream like you will live forever, live like you will die tomorrow
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  • Profile picture of the author josephandalyssa
    Originally Posted by payoman View Post

    Hey warriors,

    I am in a pretty desperate spot right now. I am just struggling to work out how to get from A to B with my business idea. Here is some background info for you guys...

    I want to start a business that provides website design and SEO services to my local area, but I have almost no clue where to get started.

    I have the skills (website design, SEO knowledge, sales experience) but I don't have the 'know how' of setting my business up(contracts/legal obligations/how to do tax/who to get advice from).

    The thing is, I know I can get clients. I have made some cold calls and had people agree to my very low prices ($400 to setup a website, $50 monthly fee for hosting and basic SEO), but I have no idea how to :

    - Receive setup payment
    - Make sure they pay the monthly fee
    - Cover myself legally
    - How to 'pitch' SEO (You can't guarentee rankings, so how do you convince a client their website will EVENTUALLY get good rankings in Google?)
    - What to do if they cancel the monthly payments?
    - How contracts work
    - Anything and everything else involved in running a business

    Would anyone be willing to hold my hand or direct me to a 'step by step to setting up your business right' guide? Everything I have read seems to skimp over the details of correctly setting up a contract/legal obligations of local businesses etc

    Sorry to ramble on, I just don't know where to turn to for this...

    Any help is appreciated, thanks guys
    payoman

    I am in the same boat as although I have setup a guide but Im struggling to get the owners to take the bait. Like most have said, if you digg deep enough and take the time to read through all the threads you can find all and more the answers to your questions.
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  • Profile picture of the author Amribor
    Check out Jim Cockrum's site, offlinebiz.com Tons of free content specifically for people doing exactly what you are doing. There is a membership option which I haven't signed up for yet but will be doing so soon. I am a member of his other site mysilentteam.com and I can't speak highly enough of him. Honest and ethical. Check it out.

    Good luck!
    Rob
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  • Profile picture of the author sgtsavvy
    - Receive setup payment
    paypal. 1shopping cart
    - Make sure they pay the monthly fee
    put it in the contract. no pay, no work.
    - Cover myself legally
    talk to a lawyer.
    - How to 'pitch' SEO (You can't guarentee rankings, so how do you convince a client their website will EVENTUALLY get good rankings in Google?)
    its called marketing. you have to develop a pitch. look at scott gallaghers free stuff, he has a system you can use, or modify, to pitch clients.
    - What to do if they cancel the monthly payments?
    try to figure out what they didnt like, or let them go.
    - How contracts work
    you gotta learn about contracts from lawyers man. im not one, but you only need a non-disclosure agreement and a working agreement in terms of my experience with contracts. You can search for free ones for seo consultants/providers, and then modify to suit.
    - Anything and everything else involved in running a business
    c'mon... seriously. anything and everything else involved in running a business? you have customers and you have products/services. You need to form some sort of entity like sole proprietorship, DBA, LLC, or corporation. All of this is available and explained for free through score, or online through the SBA.
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  • Profile picture of the author racso316
    If you need legal expert advise you could go to the websites score and sba.

    They will help you for free and answer any questions you have. That's what they do.


    You can also help or offer your services for free to a lawyer in exchange for advise. Plus you would be honing your skills and getting experience and possibly a testimonial which will help you since you're just starting.

    Good luck!
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